A wedding in Italy was our dream. Saying our vows and celebrating with thirty-one dear friends in one of our favorite towns, Positano on the Amalfi Coast, for a long weekend was our dream come true!
We arrived a few days early to tend to all the details. With the wedding on Sunday late afternoon, the celebrating was to get underway on Friday. Our base… our favorite hotel Albergo California with Maria and the Cinque family in corner room #58 with two cute balconies looking out over the picturesque stair step of pastel buildings. We weaved all our favorite spots into the weekend.
After a sunny day trip over to Capri Friday with those in town, we dined with newly arrived friends at Chez Black on the beach with fresh pasta and grilled fish. We scheduled an impromptu after dinner cocktail a few steps downy the beach at Bucca di Baco for everyone in town. When last call was ‘called,’ one of our Dutch friends said “Its still Friday and I’m without the kids!,” so we headed over to Music on the Rocks at the end of the beach for the first night of dancing.
Saturday called for a relaxing day at L’Incanto beach club on Spiaggia Grande, Positano’s main beach, and a yummy picnic lunch we picked up from Enogastonomia Positano Delicatessen in town (Via dei Mulini 5/13/15). Then off to get ready for the start of the official festivities, Welcome Cocktails at La Zagara on their terrace under the lemon trees.
We opened the curtains on the morning of THE BIG DAY to crystal clear blue skies and sunshine! After a leisurely breakfast with friends on the hotel’s terrace, I enjoyed a sit in the sun on our balcony, a bath in our jacuzzi tub and a picnic in our room with my soon to be husband. Next up… two relaxing hours of pampering as my fabulous make-up artist Zoe and hair dresser Tonino worked their magic. My girlfriend (and top wedding planner) arrived to tend to all the details with Maria while Paul and I ventured onto the lanes of Positano with our photographer Raffaele. He knew all the special nooks to get fabulous shots. Strolling through town greeted by Italians with “Aguri”, good wishes, we felt like celebrities. Up the hill at the hotel, our guests were gathering for the ceremony enjoying Prosecco and live Italian music.
We snuck in just in time for the ceremony and I walked down the aisle of the terrace on the arm of a dear friend through the smiling faces to my gorgeous fiance clad in his Italian linen suit. One of our closest friends married us in an intimate personal ceremony with the breathtaking views of Positano and the Bay of Naples as the back drop. After a toast to the new married couple, we climbed into an adorable bright orange classic Fiat Cincquecento and zoomed off for some photos. The drive up to Montepertuso was magical…Salvatore rounded the roads as many of his friends lined the streets shouting “Aguri.”
Our guests arrived at our favorite Positano restaurant, La Tagliata, high in the hills in their beautiful new location before us, welcomed by sparkling cocktails and the beginning of the evening’s food fest including the BEST bruschetta ever! Their Fiat got us there in time for our entrance down the stairs as “Esposo and Esposa” and to enjoy cocktails and the amazing views down the coast as the sun dipped behind the mountains. Then we were all invited down to the second terrace overlooking the restaurant’s amazing vegetable and fruit gardens for dinner.
We welcomed everyone around our u-shaped dinner table and the food and fun escalated with each of the four divine courses. Antipasta della Tagliata was parma ham, salami, parmigiana di melanzane, pizza, fried vegetables, sauteed spinach and more (I lost track as the plates kept coming :) ). We were serenaded between courses by a fabulous local duo with Italian classics like That’s Amore, Volare and O Sole Mio. Trittico di Pasta was next with cannelloni, manicaretto, ravioli, scialatielli and gnocchi. Grilled mixed meats were next from t-bone to sausage to pork chops to chicken breasts served with fried potatoes and green salad. We sang and danced the night away to the Tarantella and Funiculi Funicula with everyone waving their napkins high.
Final course, and my personal favorite, was our mouthwatering cannoli cake! And if the amazing house white and red wines weren’t enough, the homemade limoncello started to flow as the dancing continued and grand finale was unveiled…an Italian fireworks spectacular!
Peppino, Giorgia and the Barba Family created the most magical wedding we ever could have imagined! You’re like family when you’re there. And while the noise ordinance on the hill brought the music to an end signaling our departure, we continued the party into the wee hours with our friends, our family at Music on the Rocks back on the beach. One final night of Hello, Barbara Streisand. ;)
Salute!
more wedding photos, more Positano
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